Just lately I have been preoccupied with a specific religious orientation of Christianity. Not that I had chosen to focus once again on what I had known myself a quarter of a century ago. However, a few people I have known for years were more and more drawn into this kind of charismatic church. It is a modern branch of Christendom that more often than not appeals to younger people who do not like to sit in a pew without moving their body for a long time. If you enter such a church, you will surely meet a group of kind people who extend a warm welcome to you (the welcome team). There is also a variety of modern music presented by what is called the worship team. The bigger the church, the more qualified musicians you will find there. They and the majority of the church members who serve in any kind of ministry don’t work for money, no. Whether it is the welcome team, the kitchen team, the worship team, the child care team, whatever. All these people work for charity’s sake. But this does not apply to the pastor and the whole leadership; they usually live from what the congregation offers up. You know, from tithes and donations…

You can find a sort of worldly professionalism especially in charismatic mega churches, a fact which makes the unpredictable leading of the Holy Spirit completely dispensable. In order to hide this fact, the devil disguises as God and propels believers to follow their leadership instead of Jesus because their leaders claim to be led by God Himself continually. You can find this false assertion in almost any kind of church. Just think about the RCC whose ‘head’ is said to possess papal infallibility in some cases. It seems somehow as if there were human beings who have, partly at least, godlike qualities in this life, right? 🙄 They do not make mistakes like the average believer as they follow God automatically due to their clerical position. Oh, what a big deception!! ☹

Alas, I know first-hand that it does not make much sense to warn such believers about the wrong spirits that might capture them unless it is God who is speaking (through us) to their hearts and minds. Having been extremely enthusiastic and confident I had found God’s Spirit in a church about 25 years ago, nobody from the outside had been able to convince me of my error back then. Yet being in such a church was like worshipping a golden calf as I realized later after having left the cult. There seemed to be life in this church, but it was of worldly origin and simply served our natural five senses. Our spiritual senses were not filled as this whole charismatic movement has not come from God. Rather, it was a false revival.

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.

Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ (Rev 3:1-6 ESV, emphasis in orange italics added)

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30 thoughts on “… but you are dead”

Amen and I totally agree. I couldn’t just “like” this post as usual. But I read every one of your blogs as they are posted. I am glad you are doing well. I have been having struggles in the last few months as I lost my precious cat in Florida on a Air Force Base where I was visiting my daughter. I was asleep with my grands and my daughter was visiting a girlfriend who had come by and she opened the door at one point and my cat got out. Long story short I couldn’t find him and had to travel home without him. I had him for over 9 years and when I finally got home I just broke down so hard. What I went through internally was horrible!!! I have been pretty much silent. I am over the major part of the emotions but it was exactly the kind of pain I had 9 years ago. I am just glad that part of the pain is gone but I still miss him terribly.

I know this has nothing to do with this post but I stay far away from these new emerging churches. I have seen quite a few in the last decade that I just have no desire to be a part of that. I just want to hear from Father. God bless you Susanne.

Oh, dear Stacey, ❤ I am so sorry to hear about the horror you had to go through! 😦 If the same had happened to me, I would have broken down like you, I am sure. I am not sure, though, what else to say but pray… and sending you a BIG HUG!!!

I am relieved to hear you avoid getting in touch with this kind of churches as well! ⭐

Well, I had a comment written on here and my computer shut down. It was turning into another article in itself once again as I started to share why it is so dangerous to seek after signs and wonders instead of seeking the working of the cross in our lives. (2 Thes. 2:9-12)

Susanne, it amazes me how you and I have gone through so many of the same things (Catholicism, Catholic school, dead Protestantism, charismatic cults, our personal wildernesses, etc.), learning and unlearning many of the same lessons. But even more amazing is after being delivered of all these things in our individual pursuits of God, we continue to walk the same path together as Father not only teaches us the same things since, but has us often suffering bodily and emotional pains at the same time that we would pray together for the fullness of Christ to be worked in us (no matter what it costs), that we and others would experience the unity of the Father and the Son just as Jesus prayed. What a journey this has been!

“Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.”

I am sorry to hear about your computer problems, my brother. Maybe, it is a WordPress issue once again as I also had some difficulties just now.

Yes! What a journey the last five years of fellowshipping with you have been!! Except for Catholic school, our religious history has been pretty much alike, indeed. As God knew beforehand that He would pair us up with one another one day, in hindsight, our paths with all their twists and turns do make some sense to me now.

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 8:28-39 ESV)

Excellent! Yes, it is the foreknowledge of God that sets our coarse in this live, assuring that we will come out as He desires at the end. He is bringing us into the fullness of His Son, His faith, His light and His love. The longer I live in Him, the more assured I am that ALL things that we go through are working together for our good in eternal terms. More and more I am at rest in what comes at me in this life.

“Very good your article Susanne, the things that happened to us are very similar. I went through the Catholic, then the Pentecostal and finally the charismatic, but in all these places the same thing moves. These people get drunk with the gifts of God, their cults are exact representations of the feast made by King Belshazzar, it is abominable. The presence of the Lord is no longer in those places, the spirit that moves is a spirit that is not holy. Two nights ago the Lord gave me a dream about that, they are dead.”

This is truly amazing, dear Patricia! Indeed, I was thinking about you while writing this article. Two days ago as I was standing in front of the mirror in the bathroom, I heard the Lord say, “… but they are dead.” I knew immediately which churches were meant and looked up the whole Scripture. It seems to me God made us one here, my dear sister! ❤ Thank you for sharing your dream with me! Now I know why He did not not allow me to write about this bathroom experience in my article!! Thank You, Daddy and Jesus!!! 🙂

“Wow, it was the Lord who put me in your thinking, Glory to God. The Lord unites us by His Spirit. He is in charge of giving us the double witness of what He speaks to us When I read your article, I knew that the Lord was giving me the double witness about the dream I had. What you heard while you were in front of the mirror was the same thing that I heard the Lord say when I woke up and I asked him about the dream. The Lord makes everything perfect, Alleluia. A giant hug for you too, my sister. XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO.”

Thank you very much, Anna. 🙂 You are so welcome as to the sharing. This article could have been much more detailed about the dangers to avoid, but then this post would have suffered from information overload. 😉

Yes, like you I am afraid many are being misled as Jesus prophesied here,

“And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.” (Mt 24:11-12 ESV)

Amen! When we open our heart and receive the Lord’s Spirit He opens our mind’s eye to see clearly, see what these Mega Churches and their ilk are all about. Unfortunately it’s ‘all show and no substance’ with them. We do well to avoid them and know God through His Word and prayer. Thank you Susanne, for the enlightenment.

Michael, can the computer problem you exhibited come from the message you wrote..? The wrong spirit didn’t want you to express it, in my opinion. I applaud your tenacity to stay the coarse. God bless you both richly and pray God continues to inspire you both and give you peace within.

Thank you Susanne, i do ❤ your informative and inspirational posts. Along with you rapport with Michael. Together or apart you both make a strong conviction for Christ. And i appreciate your insights.

Thank you for the blessings, much needed in these trying times. In Christ we are conquers even if family members refuse to listen, hear or accept the Good News and change their ways.
Prayers are powerful, as long as i have breath i will keep praying and hoping. In God’s timetable all will be well. Staying in God’s grace and glad for getting to know you both through this channel.
I pray the same blessing for you, today and always. Shalom.

Thank you so much for your encouraging words, dear TLC… I need to admit here that I would love to know your real name… ❤

It has been very edifying for me to hear that both Michael and I “make a strong conviction for Christ.” 🙂

You are very welcome as to the blessing and thank you for yours, too! As for sharing the gospel with family members, oh well, I know that one and Michael does, too, I guess. This reminds me of our Lord who had to deal with these problems long before us.

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
1 He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.
2 And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands?
3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.”
5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.
6 And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching. (Mark 6:1-6 ESV)

And I, agree with you Michael. Surely looks like its heading our way in the not so distant future. Wish people would recognize prophecy is coming to fruition in these latter days.

Thank you Susanne, for the remembrance of Christ’s own family’s disbelief in the verses from the bk of Mark. With time they came around to acknowledge Him. They weren’t all spiritually dead inside. Which shows us we’re all human and His love overcomes! We just have to demonstrated it in our lives through our everyday actions not our disbelief, and hope is a good thing to hang on to. Yahweh God see’s our heart and our faith. Knocking, to open and trust ourselves to Him. All of us must travel our own journey, all of us grow at different degrees. Thank you for the reminder. Sometimes life gets overwhelming.

I believe in the power of prayer. In the times of weakness life sometimes gets the best of us. Staying positive is a long road to travel, a lot of patience is required (and worth pursuing). His strength is sufficient. Our Lord works in His own timetable, and through prayer a whole village can be saved. Our God is awesome!

It has lead me to discover and be grateful for getting to meet kinder spirits, like yourself and Michael through your blogs, among others. Staying positive.
Peace be with you all, Sweet blessings always, In Christ, Aida

In fact, I just found this comment by you in my trash folder, just like Michael’s reply to Dimple. WordPress…. Sigh…

Yes, I know that life’s circumstances can get very overwhelming and I, too, believe in the power of prayer. Patience is, indeed, necessary as God answers our prayers, but only in His time. And you might know, I am a very impatient person by nature! 😉

You have been a great encouragement to me, dear Aida! ❤ What a wonderful name!! ❤ Actually, I just looked it up as to its origin and meaning. I like the Italian meaning 'HAPPY' but also the Arabic version that says here, “Aida is a melodic name largely associated with the title character of the 1871 Verdi opera, an enslaved Ethiopian princess who dies to save her people.”

LCB, You might be right. We are trying to communicate through his medium, the Prince of the Air, via the internet. It becomes more obvious every day that he is trying to make sure the truth does not get out about His ways and devices, as well as the Good News we have in Christ, as the world progresses into the formation of the Beast and its government in both secular and religious forms.
Michael

Louise and TLC, the same thing happened again with the blog I posted about cults that I tried to publish today! I went to post it and Pow! it was wiped off of WordPress that it needed to be posted again! I lost many of the corrections and additions I had added. So it had to be done again. Thank God I wrote the original draft on a word processor and had it saved. ⭐

Also, TLC, thank you for your edifying comment regarding the Lord using Susanne and I as a common voice as we share what He has given the two of us for the church. It is a spiritual principle just as Jesus said, “that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.” Solomon also wrote, “When to walk together if one falls the other is there to lift him up.” “Two cords wound together are stronger than two cords separately and a three fold cord is not easily broken.” God through His Spirit has used us both to speak the truth in love to one another when it was needed.

This “one man band” system that controls Christendom is shear folly and subject to many delusions and temptations of the devil just as history has proven. If we study the history of the New Testament Church we find that it was never that way. There were always two or more ministering together. There we also find no such thing as a singular elder appointed by Paul in a city or any such thing as a “senior pastor,” but multiple shepherds and elders in each local, each submitting to one another in His love.

Exactly! Once again I agree. If only people would remember history and learn from it. I believe if people read the Scriptures and search its history, equate it with history itself they would be astonish how accurate God’s Word is (and told many centuries before it happened (happens)). We would be able to change ourselves and not let a lie manipulate us. Love in its purity always overcomes with truth!
But the evil one distracts us and so we must be armed with the full armor of God on, so we can detect his machinations.

Thank you again for the inspiring word. Always welcome and appreciated. And thank you also for your kind words, it’s reciprocal. ~Aida

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